These are actually three problems. First, why did Cao Cao kill Yang Xiu? Second, why didn't Cao Cao kill Sima Yi? Third, how did Sima Yi save himself in order to avoid being killed?
We know that Cao Cao was a very capable man, an outstanding politician and military expert. He has two of the most notable characteristics, one is to cherish talents. At the height of the Three Kingdoms of Wei Shu and Wu, he had the most talents under his command. In order to be able to keep Guan Yu, he was shangma jin, ma yin, and also a fengguan (Marquis of Hanshouting) who made a wish and gave a beautiful woman. Arguably at all costs.
Another characteristic of Cao Cao is selfishness. He had a saying: "I would rather teach me to bear the people of the world, and teach the people of the world to bear me." "All the talents that cannot be used by me are eliminated."
On the issue of dealing with Yang Xiu and Sima Yi, in fact, it also directly or indirectly proved his above two characteristics.
In the last stages of his life, Cao Cao had been oscillating between his eldest son Cao Pi and his fourth son Cao Zhi( 曹植) for his heirs.
Sima Yi was Cao Pi's assistant; Yang Xiu was the elder of Cao Zhi's mentor and friend. When Cao Zhi was vying for the succession, Yang Xiu had actively contributed ideas and suggestions to Cao Zhi. Yang Xiu has become the actual mastermind behind Cao Zhi's bid for the heir.
We know that Yang Xiu was a talented strategist and scholar; Sima Yi was a strategist under Cao Cao's account. Judging from the results of the later usurpation of the Cao family's world by the Western Jin Dynasty, Cao Cao should have killed Sima Yi the most, but Sima Yi was not killed; Yang Xiu neither played tricks nor had the ambition to usurp the Cao family's world, but was killed by Cao Cao.
In this sense, as the founder of Cao Wei, who was a man of great talent, Cao Cao seemed to have greatly miscalculated. Let's talk about these issues.
First, why did Cao Cao kill Yang Xiu
1, Yang Xiu's personality
Yang Xiuwei was respectful, studious, talented, knowledgeable, and extremely intelligent, and was elected as a filial piety during the Jian'an years, and soon changed to Langzhong, and later served as the chief bookkeeper of Cao Cao's chancellor's mansion. At that time, many military and state affairs of Cao Cao, Yang Xiu was responsible for handling many affairs, and the results were also very much in line with Cao Cao's wishes.
2, Yang Xiu's arrogance
Maybe Yang Xiu's knowledge was indeed too profound and too clever. Many things, when everyone is ignorant and understandable, only he can see clearly. This kind of person is most likely to get carried away. We usually say that people can be proud, but they must not forget their shape.
(1) "Later Han Dynasty Book Volume 54 Yang Zhen Lie Biography 44": Yang Xiu, is the main book of Cao Cao. Cao Cao was in a dilemma for a while because he was in trouble with Liu Bei. Offense, for the time being, there is no chance; holding on, and there is no point. The people below did not know where to go, begging for military orders, and Cao Cao casually said a "chicken rib". The people below didn't know what it meant, and Yang Xiu cleverly explained: "The meaning of chicken ribs is to eat it, there is no meat on it; don't eat it, throw it away." The Prime Minister is about to retreat. ”
Therefore, Yang Xiu then took it upon himself to order the people outside (referring to those who were on guard and standing guard) that you only need to be on slight alert.
The above text shows that Yang Xiu is indeed very clever, but this clever brain melon seed is not used in a serious place. As a strategist, it is the enemy who should be most contemplated, not his own master. How to give advice to the master is the duty of a strategist.
(2) Kuomen Incident: Cao Cao once asked people to build a garden, but he did not give comments after reading it, but only wrote a "living" word on the door of the garden, and everyone did not understand its meaning. Yang Xiu looked at it and said, "There is a movable word inside the door, which is wide." He didn't even ask Cao Cao what he meant, so he ordered someone to narrow the door without permission.
(3) Yihe crisp incident: Cao Cao received a box of puff pastry and wrote "Yihe crisp" on the box. When Yang Xiu saw it, he asked people to eat the whole box of puff pastry. Cao Cao asked him why he did this, and Yang Xiu replied: "The box says 'a box of crisps', which clearly means 'one person and one bite of crisp', how dare we violate the orders of the prime minister?" ”
(4) Cao Cao's dream killing incident: Cao Cao was afraid that someone would assassinate him, so he pretended to say that he was good at killing people in his dreams, and after he killed a close attendant, he pretended to wake up in the dream, wept bitterly and buried the close attendant, which was Cao Cao's intention to kill a hundred people. Yang Xiu knew what Cao Cao was thinking, so he used his own wisdom to interpret Cao Cao's heart for everyone.
(5) Wu Qian Incident: Cao Pi secretly invited Wu Qian into the inner palace to discuss Cao Cao's desire to establish a son, but he was afraid that someone would know, so he hid Wu Qian with a big motif. When Yang Xiu found out, he told Cao Cao, and as a result, Cao Pi really used a large motif next time to carry silk, and Cao Cao suspected that Yang Xiu wanted to frame Cao Pi.
(6) Yemen Incident: In order to test the talents of his two sons, Cao Cao told them to go out of the city gate, but told the doorman not to let people out, and Yang Xiu taught Cao Zhi to kill him if anyone dared to block him. Although Cao Zhi successfully went out, when Cao Cao learned that Yang Xiu had taught him, he was very angry.
3, the relationship between Yang Xiu and Cao Zhi
We know that Yang Xiu and Cao Zhi have always had a very good relationship because they are both literary masters. In the matter of Cao Cao's establishment, Yang Xiu helped Cao Zhi successfully pass Cao Cao's test many times.
In the event of Cao Zhi and Cao Pi vying for the Prince of Wei, Yang Xiu chose to side with Cao Zhi. When Cao Cao learned of this, he thought that Yang Xiu was involved in the seizure of the concubine and was quite angry.
4, Yang Xiu broke the rules of the game
"Romance of the Three Kingdoms Volume 19 Wei Shu 19 Biography of King Chen Xiao of Rencheng": Every time Yang Xiu came to Cao Zhi's place, he always worried that cao Zhi was doing something wrong, yang Xiu speculated about Cao Cao's intentions, prepared for Cao Zhi the questions that Cao Cao might ask, prepared more than a dozen answers in advance, and told Cao Zhi's men: "When the king of Wei's instructions came, according to his questions, according to these materials, he could make corresponding answers. ”
That is to say, in the process of Cao Cao's examination of Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, Yang Xiu, out of his deep understanding of Cao Cao, helped Cao Zhi cheat in front of Cao Cao.
Therefore, as soon as Cao Cao's instructions from The King of Wei arrived, Cao Zhi's reply was immediately sent.
Cao Cao felt strange about such a quick answer, and after questioning, the truth slowly leaked out.
There is no doubt that Yang Xiu used his understanding of Cao Cao to disrupt and destroy the rules of cao Cao's game of selecting the sons of the world, causing cao cao endless troubles and troubles.
Cao Cao was furious and killed Yang Xiu in the autumn of the twenty-fourth year (219) of Jian'an for "leaking his words and teachings before and after, and handing over the princes of Guanguan".
5, Yang Xiu was killed, revealing that Cao Cao had made Cao Pi the son of the world
Because of Yang Xiu's behind-the-scenes planning, Cao Zhi was once very favored by Cao Cao, which made Cao Zhi even more arrogant, a little overwhelmed, and let loose in shape, which made Cao Cao disheartened. When he learned that all of this was taught by Yang Xiu, he immediately chose Cao Pi as the successor of the King of Wei.
After Cao Zhi fell out of favor, Yang Xiu felt that danger was approaching, so he deliberately and slowly began to alienate Cao Zhi. But because Cao Zhi was Cao Cao's son after all, he did not dare to be too obvious, or maintained a certain degree of interaction.
Even so, Cao Cao still did not want to let him go. Because if Yang Xiu is retained, in the future, Cao Pi will ascend to the throne, yang Xiu will definitely help Cao Zhi to create trouble for Cao Pi. Without Yang Xiu, no matter how talented Cao Zhi was, he would only be in literature and would not pose any threat to Cao Pi politically.
To kill Yang Xiu is that Cao Cao has already decided, and Cao Pi is cao Wei's successor in the future.
6, Yang Xiu was killed, and Cao Zhi was the catalyst
Cao Cao killed Yang Xiu, both Because of Yang Xiu himself and cao zhi. Cao Cao transferred his extreme disappointment in Cao Zhi to Yang Xiu. It is believed that Cao Zhi was taught by Yang Xiu that he would metamorphose into the appearance that later made him extremely disappointed.
Second, why didn't Cao Cao kill Sima Yi
1, Sima Yi is indeed a talent, he has been intelligent since childhood, erudite and knowledgeable, and subservient to Confucianism. At first, because Cao Cao controlled the Eastern Han court, Sima Yi was unwilling to fight for Cao Cao's life, so he chose to escape. But his powerful reputation couldn't have kept him running away. In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208), after Cao Cao was appointed chancellor, he forcibly removed Sima Yi as a literary warrior.
2, Sima Yi knew that Cao Cao's power was getting bigger and bigger, and no one was invincible, so he changed his strategy and turned to support Cao Cao as emperor, so he gradually won Cao Cao's trust.
After Cao Cao was made the Prince of Wei, sima Yi assisted Cao Pi as the crown prince and helped Cao Pi win a complete victory in the battle for the throne. It can be seen that Sima Yi's assistance to Cao Pi is not Sima Yi's own proposition, but Cao Cao's own meaning.
However, Yang Xiu, as Cao Cao's master, that is, the person in charge of managing the documents and archives, his duty was to serve Cao Cao, but he could not move to give Cao Zhi ideas and deceive Cao Cao, which was the result of Yang Xiu's own initiative.
3, Sima Yi is not only talented, but also sees the wind and makes the rudder, so Cao Cao has no reason to kill him. Moreover, Sima Yi used his talents to make Cao Cao, Cao Pi and others trust him more and more and more inseparable from him.
(1) In the twentieth year of Jian'an (215), Cao Cao marched south, destroyed Sun Quan, sun Quan sent envoys to surrender, and declared himself a vassal to Cao Cao, Chen said the Mandate of Heaven, and persuaded Cao Cao to claim the title of emperor. Sima Yi also said: "The national fortunes of the Han Dynasty are about to end, and you are very good at the world and have nine of them, and you still submit to the Han." Nowadays, Sun Quan's title of subject is in accordance with the will of heaven and man. ”
(2) In the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an (219), Sima Yi suggested that Tuntian solve the grain problem, which was adopted by Cao Cao.
In August of the same year, natural disasters occurred in the Hanshui River Basin due to heavy rainfall. Guan Yu took the opportunity to capture Ban and behead Pound. Cao Cao felt threatened and at one point prepared to move his capital north of the Yellow River. Sima Yi dissuaded cao in time and plotted against Cao Cao to unite with Sun Quan and attack Jingzhou, and Guan Yu was killed.
(3) In the first year of Yankang (220), Cao Cao died, the government and the opposition were in danger, sima Yi managed the funeral affairs, inside and outside, and returned to Yicheng with Cao Cao's Palace. In the same year, Cao Pi was the throne of Wei, and Sima Yi was greatly trusted by Cao Pi, and was made the Marquis of Hejinting and transferred to Changshi. Equivalent to the Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office.
(4) In the late Three Kingdoms period, sima Yi was mainly able to lead troops to effectively resist the attacks of the Shu Han and Sun Wu armies.
Therefore, when Cao Pi was dying, he left Sima Yi and Cao Zhen as auxiliary ministers to assist the Wei Ming Emperor Cao Rui. During the reign of Emperor Ming, Sima Yi was also trusted and held many important positions.
Before Emperor Ming's death, he entrusted Sima Yi and Cao Shuang to assist the young emperor Cao Fang.
(5) After Cao Fang succeeded to the throne, Sima Yi was ostracized by Cao Shuang and served as a taifu, seemingly promoted, but without real power.
In the first ten years (249), Sima Yi took advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of Cao Shuang to accompany Cao Fang to leave Luoyang for the Gaoping Tombs, and staged a coup d'état and took control of Luoyang. Cao Wei's military power fell into the hands of Sima Shi. This is a postscript.
Third, Sima Yi also made a lot of efforts to avoid being killed
1, In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208), after Cao Cao became a chancellor, he used coercive means to recruit Sima Yi. Cao Cao told the emissary that if he was still lying in bed as before, he would be arrested. When Sima Yi heard this, he was very afraid and had to take up his post. Cao Cao asked him to travel with the crown prince, but Sima Yi did not dare not listen.
2, According to the "Wei Luo" record, Sima Yi was studious, Cao Hong thought that he was talented, and wanted Sima Yi to help him, Sima Yi did not like Cao Hong, so he pretended to be unwell and did not go on crutches. Cao Hongji hated Sima Yi and went to make a small report with Cao Cao, cao cao recruited Sima Yi, and Sima Yi immediately threw away his crutches to see Cao Cao serve him.
3, Cao Cao gradually realized that Sima Yi "had a heroic ambition", and found that he had a "wolf guzhi", and his heart was very taboo. Therefore, he said to Cao Pi that Sima Yi was not a man who was willing to be a subordinate, and would certainly interfere in the affairs of our family. However, because Cao Pi received a lot of teachings from Sima Yi, he vigorously defended Sima Yi, and Sima Yi was able to do nothing.
After Sima Yi heard about these things, he became more diligent in his duties, often working to sleep and forget to eat, and slowly dispelled Cao Cao's wariness of him.
Fourth, this is the problem of the horse's afterthought
The reason why the subject asked, "Before Cao Cao died, why did he kill Yang Xiu but not Sima Yi?" "Such a problem belongs to the aftermath. Because it is only after this period of history has passed that we will reflect on such a question. The experiences and lessons of history are always summed up by future generations, and there are not many people with foresight in history.
It is undeniable that Cao Cao was indeed a great politician and military expert, and he had actually long realized that Sima Yi was not an ordinary person, and his heart was very taboo, reminding Cao Pi.
That is to say, in the face of an equally outstanding military figure Sima Yi, Cao Cao obviously could not necessarily draw very correct conclusions. At least he was convinced that his son Cao Pi could put all this to rest, including Sima Yi. As for Sima Yi's later usurpation of the Cao family's power, it was obviously not something that Cao Cao could control. If it is said that Cao Cao just died and Sima Yi immediately reversed himself, that is Cao Cao's problem.
Taking ten thousand steps back, even if Cao Cao killed Sima Yi and his descendants were incompetent, Cao Cao would not be able to solve the problem. What's more, there were two powerful enemies, Sun Quan of Eastern Wu and Liu Bei of Western Shu. If Sima Yi is killed, who will support Cao Wei's world? If you just suspect that someone is trying to usurp power and kill them all, will you be able to kill them all?
In fact, when every dynasty declines, there will always be someone usurping power, or someone rebelling. As far as the Cao Wei regime was concerned, even if there was no Sima Yi, there would definitely be others.
epilogue
The reason why Cao Cao killed Yang Xiu was because although Yang Xiu was talented, he was "clever but mistaken by cleverness", and in the right thing, he was only conscientious, there was no mistake, but there was no great achievement, nothing more; but in other aspects, Yang Xiu had obviously deviated from Cao Cao and could not be reused.
For Cao Cao, Yang Xiu is like that "chicken rib", leaving no meat and abandoning it is a pity, but Cao Cao is not a person who looks forward and hesitates, so Yang Xiu's "chicken rib" can only be abandoned.
And Cao Cao did not kill Sima Yi, first, he loved him as a great talent, and he was really reluctant to kill him. Second, there was the protection of Cao Pi, since Cao Cao established Cao Pi as the son of the world, that is to say, he poured a lot of effort into Cao Pi; Cao Pi interceded with Sima Yi, and Cao Cao always had to give his son a little face; in addition, Sima Yi was very cunning, very good at things, and his ability to see the wind and turn the rudder also played a great role.
Yang Xiu was only a pure literati, except that he might be slightly stronger than Sima Yi in terms of talent, and in other respects, he obviously could not be compared with Sima Yi. Especially in the aspect of "Taoguang Yang Obscurity", Yang Xiu did not have any advantages to speak of.